The invention is directed to a jewelry cleaning system and, in particular, to an improved basket and container assembly for facilitating the placement and removal of the jewelry from the cleaning solution before, during and after cleaning.
Heretofore, the most popular known jewelry cleaning system has been a covered jar containing a cleaning solution and basket assembly. The basket sits in a jar filled with a colored ammonia based fluid. The jewelry is placed in a basket and the basket is positioned in the jar so that the jewelry is permitted to soak in the ammonia fluid until it is clean. The basket is usually provided with an upright post which serves as a handle and facilitates lifting the basket from the container in order to remove and replace jewelry.
These products have been found to be less than completely satisfactory. The particular disadvantage of such jar type jewelry cleaning systems is that the basket handle cannot be removed by a woman without wetting her fingernails and causing damage to her nail polish finish. The colored ammonia fluid can also stain clothing and towels. A second disadvantage is that the jar and basket cleaners have an inclination to leak. This is due to the surface tension of the ammonia fluid which causes it to adhere to the cover. When the cover is removed from the jar, the ammonia follows gravity and flows onto the user's hands. Accordingly, a jar and basket jewelry cleaning assembly that minimizes contact with the jewelry cleaning fluid is desired.